duckworth



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. DUCKWORTH.

FRUIT' CLEANING MACHINE.

Paignted Deo. 22, 1896.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

GQDUGKWORTH. FRUIT CLEANING MACHINE.

No. 573,769.' Patentednec. 22, 1896.-

fa, I. lmreniar: y @ew UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

CALEB DUCKWORTH, OF COLNE, ENGLAND.

FRUIT-CLEANING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,769, dated December22, 1896.

Application led July 20,1895. Serial No. 556,638. (No model.)

Patented in England January 30,1894, No.1,974.

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, CALEB DUcKwoRTH, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain and Ireland, residing at Colne, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented Improvements in Fruit Cleaning Machines, (patentedin -Great Britain January 30, 1894, No. 1,974 of which the following isa specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple and efficientmachine for cleaning currants and other fruit.

The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is tobe performed or carried into practical eifect will be readily understoodon reference to the two sheets of drawings hereunto annexed and thefollowing explanation thereof.

On Sheet 1 of the drawings, Figure 1 is a vert-ical longitudinal sectionof my improved fruit-cleaning machine, and Fig. 2 is an elevation of thedriving end of the same. On Sheet 2 of the drawings,Fig. 3 is a diagramshowing a part of the gearing detached, and Fig. 4: is a verticaltransverse section of the machine.

a is the framing which supports in suitable bearings the horizontal axleor shaft b, upon which the conical wire-gauze or perforated cylinder cis mountedY so as to be able to revolve independently thereof. Insidethis cone c there is mounted on the square part of the axle ZJ a conicalbrush CZ, the bars of which may be provided with bristles, as shown onthe drawings, or with strips of india-rubber or other suitable material.

Above the conical wire-gauze or perforated cylinder c is mounted theself-feeding trough e, so arranged that it is capable of having atoand-fro transverse sliding motion imparted to it. The bottom of thisfeeding-trough is inclined to suit the form of the cone, and its lowerend communicates by means of a feeding-inlet f with the interior of theconical revolving cylinder c.

The brush CZ may be slid on the horizontal shaft b, so as to adjust itnearer to or farther from the interior of the conical cylinder'c, so asto regulate the brushing power, (as may be required,) by means of thescrew g or other similar device.

71, is a water-j et in communication with any convenient water-supply toadmit water through the inlet f into the cylinder or sieve c to wash orsprinkle the fruit, and the surplus water runs out through theperforations in the cylinder.

7o is a drawer or tray to receive the surplus water and the waste ordirt from the fruit, and lis a sloping delivery-trough with a sievebottom into which the cleaned fruit falls from the conical cylinder cthrough the outlet m.

Z. is a drawer to catch any dirt which may fall through the sieve of thetrough Z and kx is a drawer to receive the cleaned fruit as it isdischarged from the trough Z.

The gearing which operates the several parts of the machine is asfollows: In is the main driving-shaft, which may be driven either byhand or power. Upon this shaft a is keyed a spur-wheel o, which, bymeans of a pinion p, drives the horizontal axle or shaft Z) and thusgives a rapid revolving motion to the internal brush CZ. There is alsokeyed upon the same shaftn a spur-pinion q, driving, by means of acarrier-wheel q', (see Fig. 3,) a spur-wheel q" on the smaller end ofthe conical cylinder c, which it thus drives at a slower speed and inthe reverse direction to the internal brush (Z.

The side shaking or transverse slide motion requisite for self-feedin gis given to the feedin g-trough e by means of an eccentric fr, keyed onthe axis `n or cast to the spur-pinion o, which eccentric acts by meansof an arm s (see Fig. 2) on one arm of a lever t, which is jointed tothe cranked bar u, which carries the feeding-trough e. The bottom of thelatter may either be plain or it may be made like a sieve, as shown atFig. 1, in which case guard-plates o should be placed beneath the same,as shown at Fig. 4, in order to prevent dirt or waste from falling ontothe wire-gauze or perforated cone cylinder c. The lower arm of the leverZ also actuates the sloping deliverytrough Z, supported by the crankedbars ZXX. As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, there are four of these leverst pivoted at their centers to the framework, at their upper ends to thefeeding-sieve e, and at their lower ends to the delivery-sieve Z. It isdesirable to make this shaking motion as short as practicable and todrive the machine quickly.

The amount of feed may be regulated by means of the hinged plate a.(Shown at Fig. 1.)

IOO

upper and lower extremities respectively to the said reciprocatingsieve-frames, and a pitman from the principal shaft connected with oneof the said levers, to actuate the levers, substantially as hereinbeforedescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of 2o two subscribing Witnesses.

CAIJEB DUCKVORTII.

lVitnesses:

CHARLES A. DAvIEs, J No. HUGHES.

